in this historicall discourse of Christ his trauailing to Ierusalem is thys Hee prooueth that in this place which indeede is the scope and drift of the vvhole Booke viz. to cleere to the world but especially to the vnbeleeuing Iewes that Christ is the only Messias or Sauiour proued so by his birth his life death liuing dying rising and ascending As Iohn the Baptist poynted at Christ the Lambe of GOD purging the sinnes of the world so heere Saint Luke poynts at Christ vveeping for the sinnes of the world When the people of Ierusalem laughed Christ wept as when the Ministrell played Elisha prophecied and therefore this Cittie otherwise famous but in this infamous 2. Reg 3. 15 worthily ranne to ruine and so receiued a true and due recompence for her securitie And when he drew neere the Cutie hee beheld it and wept for it The Schoole-men do note many things in Christ appertaining to saluation Prudentiam in eius doctrina Wisedome in his doctrine Temperantiam in eius vita Temperance in his life Fortitudinem in eius tortura Fortitude in sustaining torments Diuinum numen in miraculis Diuine power in his works Consolationem in dictis Consolation in his words and in this place Compassionem in eius tristitia compassion in his sorrowfulnes for he wept vpon Ierusalem Hee wept To teach vs to weepe and to haue compassion in beholding the lamentable state and condition of our neighbours We must weepe for them as Christ wept for the Iewes and withall hee teacheth vs to weepe for our selues as hee bad the daughters of Ierusalem to weepe for themselues To drawe yet a little neerer to the embowelling of these words for a cleerer narration obserue with me these foure things 1. The person who came that was Christ 2. The place whether he came to Ierusalem 3. The action or rather you may terme it a passion hee wept 4. His admonition in reprehending theyr ignorance and fore-telling theyr fall Now then that wee haue founde out the Myne let vs digge for the treasure The person who came to Ierusalem was Christ And the Scripture doth manifestlie declare how great he was for he was God The Father and I are one Ioh. 10. How humble he was for he was the Sauiour of the worlde His humilitie appeared in taking our nature vpon him Being God it pleased him to become man and to dwell with men hee withdrew himselfe from none no not from the Publicans and sinners That Iesus who was Contempte Mundi a hater of this worlde one that nothing esteemed the pompe and glory thereof for when the Tempter presented before him at one viewe all the kingdoms of the earth Math. 4. Tempter and temptation were both driuen to retire One powerfull worde of Christ quite vanquisht him as Dauid ouercame Golias with one stone when it perced into his temples That Iesus who refused all worldly superioritie and power for when in the sixt of Iohn they woulde haue made him theyr King he conueyed himselfe out of the way Who was mercifull for he forgaue the woman taken in adultery Who was powerful for his words made the souldiours giue backe when they came to take him As in the 4. of Mathewe his worde made the prince of darknesse giue backe when he came to tempt him Who was pittifull this place proueth it He wept That Christ who is called Vera lux the true light for the saued to walke in The Iohn 1 5 Reu 22 16 bright Morning star The flower of lesse The mighty Lyon of the trybe of Iudah The Author and finisher of our fayth That Christ to whō that excellent voyce of glory once sounded from the heauens This is my well beloued sonne in whom I am Luke 3 22 well pleased Hee who was promised by the Father figured in the Lawe spoken of by the Prophets poynted at by Iohn Baptist manifested in the flesh iustified in the Spirit seene of Angels preached to the Gentiles 1. Tim. 3. 16. beleeued on in the world and receiued vp in glory This Christ came to Ierusalem So much briefely is spoken for the person now for the place The place whether Christ came was Ierusalem the Metropolis or chiefe Citty in all Asia by interpretation A vision of peace Yet this people knevve not their peace God had stampt a remembrance of his blessings in the very name of Ierusalem yet could not this people cōsider of it they made no vse of this peace which God had giuen them This Citty had in it many faults in Christes time For first they knewe not theyr peace Secondly they prophaned the Temple of God making it a denne of theeues and a shop of Merchants where it should haue beene the house of prayer Thirdly in it were the Prophets slaine Fourthly it fostered within it the greatest enemies of the Crosse of Christ Fiftly beeing the Citty of the great King it was allotted to destroy the great King Christ Iesus the King of glory This Citty so polluted Christ comes to visite As once God the Father said Come let vs goe downe and visit Babel so heere Christ Gene 11 7 the Sonne sayth to his Apostles Come let vs goe visite Ierusalem In which his comming to Ierusalem we see it first noted by the Euangelist he drew neere the Citty for beeing a Prophet hee would doe as did the Prophets Samuell came neere to Israell Ionas came to visite Niniuie and Christ came heere to visit Ierusalem Hee drew neere to it Hauing first trauailed to Iericho and after to Beth-phage and then to Bethany at last he comes to Ierusalem Wherein wee are to note the great dilligence of Christ to verifie his former words I came to seeke and to saue that which was lost He neuer ceased to doe the will of his Father Beeing but twelue yeeres old he taught in the Temple and disputed vvith the Doctors hearing them apposing them Luke 2 46 We should be armed with like industrious diligence The chyldren of God are euer noted to be eyther going or walking or running Peter during the time of his fall is noted sitting to shew his carefulnes but so soone as hee felt the soule-stirring motions of Gods Spirit calling him to repentance hee Luk. 22. 62. sits no longer but goeth out The Israelites are recorded to be alwaies Num. 33. trauailing and remouing till they came to Canaan Moses so soone as hee was borne was Exod. 2. 3. cast out among the flagges from thence he was brought to the Kings Court in Egypt After that he was driuen to she to Midian and from Mydian backe againe to Egypt And after all this what long and tedious trauels did hee vndergoe in that long iourney to Canaan Wherein is rightly typed the state of euery religious Christian mans life Our life heere is but a pilgrimage a vanishing vapour that suddainly is lost while a man lookes vpon it and therefore holie men must learne of Moses and of Christ
present another preacheth a third man standing by readeth heere is no order but confusion and God is not the God of confusion Let all things in the Church be done decently and in order Thus haue you seene Christ our Lorde entering into the Temple in deuotion and in zeale correcting the abuses that hee found there Teaching them withall the right vse of the Temple and what exercises of holines the place requireth that so they might not come together to condemnation Let it be considered what is sayd and the Lord giue vs vnderstanding in all thinges that hauing attained in some measure to the fulnesse of knowledge that is in Christ Iesus and beeing stablished in euery good worke and word our fruite may be holines and our end euerlasting life Let vs pray the spirit of Grace to enter into the temples of our harts and thence to purge and cast out all corruptions whatsoeuer To God onely wise our Sauiour be rendred all honor glory praise with thanksgiuing now and euer Amen ⧠The history of our Lords Birth ¶ A Sermon preached by the Authour at Shrewsburie vpon Christ his day MATH 2. 1. 2. When Iesus then was borne in Bethleem in Iudea in the dayes of Herod the King behold there came Wise men from the East to Ierusalem saying Where is hee that is borne King of the Iewes For wee haue seene his star in the East are come to worship him TWo principall motiues or reasons beloued in our Lord induced me to make choise of this Text. One vvas the occasion of our meeting at this time which is to solemnize keep in memorie the Natiuity of our Lord Sauiour Christ Iesus The other the great necessity of the doctrine in these wordes contained For they deliuer vnto vs the history full discourse of Christes Incarnation beeing one principall branch in the misterie of our Redemption So you see how both text time our meeting matter or cause of our meeting all conspire together and are alike sutable There shoulde be no matter of greater force to draw men together than this vvee haue nowe in hand for it is able to furnish vs with all necessary knowledge like the roule that Ezechiell tooke from the Angell which wheÌ„ he had eaten it filled both Ezch 3 belly and bowels hee straightwayes began to prophecy We liue not in those times wherein vve may offer rich presents vnto Christ like the Wisemen nor can wee nowe poynt at the bodily presence of Christ as Iohn did not can we feast him in our houses as Zacheus did nor can we embrace him in our armes as once Symeon did when hee came by inspiration into the Temple Christ nowe looketh not for these curtesies nor can we performe theÌ„ if we would But this and all this we do when we come to heare Christ preached vnto vs when we open our harts to entertaine the worde as Lydia did and when wee embrace with alacritie and cheerfulnesse the doctrine of Christ And as I haue told you one capitall branch of this doctrine is this concerning his natiuitie Men are carefull very diligent in calculating theyr owne byrth-dayes and theyr childrens natiuities for a more certaine account they kalender them vp to the end they may not be forgotten and thys they â—may doe for reason requireth it law alloweth it and ciuility commends the same But a thousand times more careful ought we to be both Prince prophet people to kalender and keepe in memory the natiuitie of our Lord Sauiour conscience â—inforceth it custome calls for it and vvhich is most of all Christâ—â—â—â—â—e commaunds it For vnto this name and to no other vnder heauen are we baptized Of Christ wee are called Christians We are his schollers his seruaunts his disciples and therefore very careful should we be to honour our Lord Maister in keeping holy his day For as Christ in earth sought nothing but the glory onely of his Father so his father now in heauen seekes nothing but the glory of his sonne And as the same sonne beeing here on earth humbly debased himselfe as a seruaunt vnder all men to obey his Fathers will so hath it pleased God his Father againe to exalt him not onely to surmount the glorie of all Princes and Potentates whatsoeuer but also with such power maiestie hath he aduaunced him that euen the very knowledge and beleese of his glorious Name is able to giue euerlasting life to all sinners be they neuer so greeuously burdened or laden whosoeuer will come vnto him to seeke any refreshing So proued by his oâ—n testimony in the 6. of Iohn verse 40. Thy is the will of him that sent mee that euery maâ— that beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day Haue not wee great reason then to remember this day of Christ a day as Saint Augustine calls it of all dayes the beginning of all daies the beginning of eternitie to the beleeuers Hee was borne to make vs rich hee vvas layd in a stall euen among beastes to exalâ— vs to the company of Angels Hee was borne an exile a banished person from the cradle driuen to flie into Egypt as Moses did to Mydian to the end he might make vs free Vt Moses in vluas Hee came from heauen to the earth to the end hee might dravve vs from earth to heauen Hee tooke vppon him a naturall â—ody to make vs heauenly bodies He was made flesh to make vs spirits he was made the sonne of man to make vs the â—onnes of God To as many as receiued him â—o them gaue hee power that they might be the â—onnes of God Great reason haue wee then â—o remember him that did all this for vs. And this much shall briefely suffice to â—tirre vp your mindes to a carefull contemâ—lation of Christ and his glory Now let vs â—eare S. Mathew speaking When Iesus then was borne at Bethleem c. For the increase of our fayth and for an â—ndoubted certaintie heere is layd downe â—he true story of Christes birth with cirâ—umstances thereunto belonging The maner of our Lords birth is at large â—eliuered by this our Euangelist in the forâ—er chap afore my Text beginning at the 8. verse The other circumstances runne â—eere in these wordes as first The place â—here he was born In Bethleem 2. When â—n the dayes of Herod 3. Who came first to â—im The wise men 4. How did they know â—ee was borne or howe were they directed â—â— finde him They were guided by a starre 5. To what end came they to him Iâ— worship him This day and time was foretolde by the Prophets commended to men by Angels and celebâ—ated by the godly Fathers of the Church Esay long before the comming of Chrâ—â—â— prophecied saying Loe a virgine shall â—â—â—ceaue Esay 7 and beare a sonne and they shall 〈◊〉 name Emanuell And againe Vnto vs a â—â—â— Esay 9 is
translated And thus much is spoken briefely for the question of the laylour Now let vs consider of the Apostles answere Beleeue in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be saued and thy houshold This is their aunswere hee was not so ready to aske but they are as ready to satisfie his demaund Christes Disciples are like Christ he in the 10. of Mark answered thus to him that demaunded what he might doe to inherite eternall life Hoc fac et viues This doe and thou shalt liue And heere the Apostles gaue like aunswer to this Iaylour Doe this and thou shalt be saued Beleeue in the Lord Iesus Heere wee are to learne by this example of the Apostles to be helpful to our neighbours or whom so euer we find fit for the Kingdome of God wee ought to furnish them with all spirituall knowledge wee must like Peter strengthen them that are weake when we our selues are strong But we see the contrary practised for the greatest part are apt to draw men froÌ„ God and from his truth as the Athiests Papists of these times who straine their endeuours to make others like themselues Boni malos volunt esse bonos vt sint sut similes Mali contra bonos volunt esse malos vt sint sui similes More then a good many can be apt to say with Chora The people are all holy and whereto serues this precisenes They vvould perswade men that they are too good when they are stark naught They will be straight-wayes in the extremity before they haue attained the mediocrity Like the lazie trauailer that sittes downe in the midst of his iourney or like him that running in a race giues ouer in the midst of his course and suffers others to get the goale before him This is the reluctation betweene the holy and vnholy the children of light and the children of the darknes Good men striue to be holy themselues and to beget holines in others but the wicked striue to be naught and to make others worse than themselues And the deuill comes in to act vp the tragedy and so he rageth and so sinne suggesteth so the weaknes of man yeeldeth because he hath not faith in which only we can ouerthrow the world The Apostles sinding this Iaylour in the way of his saluation do help him forwards and doe support his weaknes as Christ caried the lost sheepe vpon his shoulders as the mercifull Samaritane did lay the man that lay by the way side robd wounded vpon his owne beast Beleeue say they in the Lord. This may seeme to be a lesson soone learned and the gayning of heauen a matter of short and easie surprize if it may be obtayned only by beleeuing in the Lord Iesus Indeed the answer is short but the matter of substance included therein is great for as one tree hath many braunches and one branch many blossoms so this one answer hath many circumstances All which being duly considered we shall be forced to acknowledge it a matter of greatest difficulty and that we haue neede to call vpon Gods spirit for his special furtherance in this great frame of our spirituall building For it is not giuen to all to beleeue in the Lord Iesus nay it is giuen but to a fewe to those onely whom the Father hath sealed for that purpose Yea euen the best of vs to whom the Lorde hath giuen most talents of his rich graces may say notwithstanding looking vpon our imperfections Lord wee beleeue helpe our unbeleefe and the spirit is willing but the flesh is weake Faith in the strongest wil be found to be but a deficient faith as Peters was when he began to sinke God will haue it to be so to the end we should haue recourse to the fulnes that is in Christ That when we see our faith weakned or wounded wee should doe as they did who were bitten by Scorpions cast vp our eyes to Christ the brazen serpent who will not cease since now he is lifred vp to draw vs vp also vnto himselfe Beleeue in the Lord Iesus Asour Sauiour told Martha one thing is necessary so the Apostles tell this Iaylor one thing is necessary to furnish him for the Kingdome of heauen euen faith Belecuâ— onely and thou shalt be saued To beleeue is to giue consent in thy hart to the worde of truth to subscribe therevnto by an vnfained profession to yeeld all Christian obedience aunswerable to the measure of grace giuen vnto vs. This faith is begotten in vs by the immediate gift of God and increased in vs by the word of God read and preached God giues the word and the word giues faith and faith giues saluation The Iewes reade the Scriptures and they heard Christ preaching vnto them euery Sabaoth in their Sinagogues yet they beleeued not because the vaile was not taken from them and they were still in theyr sinnes to shew that faith is the speciall gift of God and all cannot receaue it which makes so many to withstand the truth in vngodlines Where it is said heere Beleeue onely and thou shalt be saued Wee learne that faith is the onely principall instrument whereby we apprehend Christ and so consequently our saluation For without faith it is impossible to please God and so without faith it is impossible to be saued Heere may the Papistes lay their handes vpon theyr mouthes for they are no longer In architectura totuÌ„ artificiuÌ„ attribuitur architecto non arti non instrumentis Olâ—uÌ„ et ignis duo sunt sed cohareÌ„t in vno lamâ—adâ—o Make your 〈◊〉 sure by good workes In facto noÌ„ pto facto able to maintaine theyr doctrine of Good-workes in the act of iustification They would haue vs acknowledge with them that fayth without workes is not sufficient to iustifie but with our sayth say they our works must be coÌ„current Which is a manifest errour and this place conuinceth it True it is that fayth neuer goeth alone but is alwayes accompanied vvith good-works as the heate is neuer separated from the fire but in the act of iustification faith alone must be coÌ„sidered otherwise Christ dyed in vaine Homines meritum quid esse potest 〈◊〉 vt ait vaus hommis desperatio aut vt aâ— alter Dei miseratio For what is mans merrit but as one authour saith mans desperation Or as another saith the mercy of God VVho can say My hart is cleane Can the infant or the tender babe newly drawne from the wombe In no wise they cannot For quis dabit mundum ex immundo semme Of vncleane seede vvhat cleannesse can come Num adult us vt sunt annorum sic vitiorum incrementa In youth as yeeres multiply so vices increase Cum omnia feceritis dicite vos esse seruos in vtiles When ye haue done all you can say ye are vnprofitable seruants Si dixerimus nos volumus respondet Apostolus Deus dat velle si dixerimus nos facimus at vt facimus Deus